"Horses" is a broad topic that encompasses various aspects of equine biology, behavior, and management. This category includes studies on the anatomy, physiology, and genetics of horses, as well as their behavior, nutrition, and care. Research in this area may also cover the historical and cultural significance of horses, their roles in agriculture, sport, and therapy, and the challenges associated with their conservation and welfare. The page aggregates peer-reviewed research articles and scholarly studies that explore the multifaceted relationships between humans and horses, examining both scientific and socio-economic perspectives.
Environmental contamination with heavy metals, resulting from industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural intensification, poses serious ecological and health risks. Horses, due to their grazing behavior and close association with human environments, serve as reliable sentinel species for assessing environmental pollution. This study aimed to evaluate the bioaccumulation of heavy metals and trace elements in different biological matrices of horses-blood, hair, hooves, and synovial fluid-and to investigate their relationship with hematological biomarkers as indicators of physiological str...
Semanchik PL, Wesolowski LT, Artman JL, Seward RL, Beer C, Barnes ED, White-Springer SH.Reactive oxygen species are normal by-products of cellular metabolism but may have detrimental effects on cellular matrices and excite inflammatory pathways when overproduced. To test the hypothesis that supplementation of an herbal extract combination would: 1) improve antioxidant status; 2) increase anti-inflammatory cytokines; and 3) decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines, 40 mature, sedentary stock-type horses (32 mares, 8 geldings, mean±SD; 15.7 ± 4.9 yr, 519 ± 46 kg) were stratified by age, sex, and body weight and randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatment groups for 5...
Keller P, Vanwesenbeeck I, Hudders L, Decloedt A.To assess horse owners' behaviors and perceptions regarding communication about complementary and alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM) with their veterinarian. Unassigned: A cross-sectional online survey was combined with a qualitative study in the form of in-depth interviews with Flemish horse owners. Unassigned: The study included 1,532 fully completed survey responses and 26 interviews. Overall, horse owners showed high trust in the veterinarian and were satisfied with veterinarian-client communication. While 61.7% of participants indicated that they had already talked about CAVM with the...
Mojsym W, Kowalik S, Chałabis-Mazurek A, Janczarek I, Kędzierski W.Some correlations between serum Cu, Zn and Se and cytokines have been reported in humans. Especially, the Cu:Zn ratio corresponded with inflammation. To date, relationships between microelements and proinflammatory proteins are poorly understood in horses. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether Cu, Zn and Se may influence turnover of IL-6, IL-8 and tissue factor (TF) in breeding and working horses. Blood samples obtained from 66 horses were analysed. There were 37 pregnant broodmares of different breeds, 13 barren broodmares and 16 race Thoroughbred horses. Serum Cu, Zn and Se concentrat...
Newcombe JR, Claes AN, Cuervo-Arango J.Early embryonic loss (EEL), particularly between Days 14 and 42 of pregnancy, remains a key concern in equine reproduction. This study investigates the incidence of spontaneous luteolysis-used here as a marker of maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) failure-in both pregnant Thoroughbred (TB) broodmares and recipient mares carrying either in vivo-derived (IVD) or in vitro-produced (IVP) embryos. Retrospective reproductive data from 2078 pregnancies in TB and 532 pregnancies in recipients were analysed to determine the incidence and characteristics of clinical luteolysis during pregnancy. Ove...
Pipitpornsirikul P, Thangthamniyom N, Laikul A, Songkasupa T, Pathomsakulwong W, Apichaimongkonkun T, Kasemsuwan S, E-Kobon T, Lekcharoensuk P.African horse sickness (AHS), a life-threatening disease caused by African horse sickness virus serotype 1 (AHSV-1), emerged in Thailand in February 2020 with 607 cases and a 93% fatality rate. The outbreak was mitigated by vector control and a live attenuated virus (LAV) vaccine. Information regarding viremia and immunity after infection and vaccination during outbreaks are essential for controlling disease transmission. This study evaluated these parameters in 15 infected naïve horses and 11 vaccinated horses during the 2020 outbreak. Whole blood was collected and subjected to RT real-time ...
Huisman I, Groenestein CM, Vellinga TV, Pishgar-Komleh SH.Sustainability is gaining growing attention within the equine sector. Sustainability consists of various subjects including feed and nutrition, resource efficiency, animal welfare, carbon footprint (CFP) and biodiversity, for example. Studies in horse research focus mainly on behaviour and welfare. Little information is available about the environmental impact of equids. The few studies that can be found are principally concerned with local impact, such as nitrogen leaching or ammonia concentrations in bedding. Little is known about greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) for horses, although GHG emiss...
Krcal C, Licka T.Besides oral temperature, meteorological parameters are expected to be relevant for mouthpiece temperature, potentially influenced by the material, surface area and weight of the bit. This study measured the temperature of the mouthpieces at the corner of the mouth while they were in use on 58 carriage horses during the four 2024 seasons. Stainless steel, copper, and copper-steel bits were tested in three shapes: Butterfly Liverpool, Liverpool, and Loose Ring Snaffle with four rings. Additionally, surface temperatures of inner thighs, the ground, and buildings were measured using infrared ther...
Arai N, Niwa H, Uchida-Fujii E, Sawa Y, Tamamura-Andoh Y, Kinoshita Y, Momoki A, Watanabe-Yanai A, Iwata T, Kubo M, Kusumoto M.Sequence type 34 (ST34) Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and its monophasic variant (Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:-) are the most prevalent clones among humans and animals worldwide, including in Japan. Although cross-species transmission may have occurred in the background of global spread, the matter remains unresolved. Here, we conducted high-resolution phylogenetic analysis using whole-genome sequencing data of Salmonella Typhimurium and 4,[5],12:i:- obtained from a horse and cattle breeding district in Japan and identified cases of cross-species transmission of ST34 Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:...
Gräf T, Rodriguez MC, de Oliveira Brandão Y, Royer CA, do Nascimento Ferreira C, Confortin C, Zanluca C, Strottmann DM, Duarte Dos Santos CN....Rocio virus (ROCV), a neurotropic arbovirus of the genus, caused Brazil’s largest encephalitis outbreak in the 1970s but has since been rarely detected. We report the first ROCV encephalitis clinical case after nearly 40 years and isolated and sequenced the virus from CNS tissue of a horse. Metatranscriptomics enabled full-genome sequencing, revealing divergence from the reference sequence at an evolutionary rate of 5.8–7.0 × 10⁻⁴, consistent with . Thirty-one non-synonymous substitutions were identified, with the envelope protein most affected. Findings indicate ROCV cryptic circula...
Lutvikadic I, Preldzic D, Floriano D, Hopster K.Pulse pressure (PP) reflects ventricular stroke volume and arterial compliance, but its utility as a marker of cardiac disease in animals is not well established. This study evaluated the association between PP and echocardiographically confirmed cardiac abnormalities in dogs and horses and assessed its potential in pre-anesthetic evaluation. Clinical and echocardiography examination of 20 dogs and 20 horses was sufficient for inter-group comparisons and assignments to a Cardiac group (echocardiographically confirmed cardiac disease) or a Control group (healthy animals). Non-invasive oscillome...
El Brini Z, Mhar I, Bouktaib FE, Piro M, Daniel C, Alyakine H.Working equids are at high risk of musculoskeletal disorders due to strenuous labor, repetitive tasks, and harsh environmental conditions. This retrospective study describes the distribution of radiographically detected musculoskeletal findings in working equids presented to four Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) centers in Morocco, based on 498 animals and 1125 radiographs collected between 2015 and 2022. The study population was mainly composed of horses (78.1%), followed by donkeys (15.3%) and mules (6.6%). Most were males (65.7%), and the majority were between 5 and 15 y...
Qiu Y, Lei Y, Yi X, Tang X, Zhang B, Wang S, Sun X.This study investigated three donkey breeds-Guanzhong, Jiami, and Northern Shaanxi-to characterize the structural organization and diversification mechanisms of the immunoglobulin light-chain (IgL) loci and to conduct both intra-breed and interspecies comparisons with horses. The donkey IGλ locus is located on chromosome 8 and arranged in a Vλ-(Jλ-Cλ)-Vλ configuration. It contains 7 Cλ genes, each preceded by a corresponding Jλ gene to form a Jλ-Cλ cluster. Upstream of this cluster, 156 Vλ genes were identified, including 29 potential functional genes; downstream, 98 Vλ genes were d...
Kwak ML, Echigo H, Hoketsu T, Taya Y, Numata H, Shiraki Y, Kelava S, Markowsky G, McInnes D, Hayashi N, Nonaka N, Kawai M, Nakao R.The control of ticks is challenging owing to their ubiquity, complex ecologies, and difficulties relating to costs and non-target impacts of chemical control programs. Nature-based solutions centre around co-opting natural processes and biodiversity to address socio-environmental problems; and in some cases, rewilded species can provide nature-based solutions. In northern Japan, the winter ecology of ticks is poorly studied, though some species are believed to overwinter under the snow. Winter grazing activity of rewilded horses may disturb overwintering ticks, exposing them to sub-zero temper...
Narouei M, Rahimi H, Kafshdouzan K.Infections caused by and , as zoonotic diseases, pose a serious threat to the health of humans and animals. To date, there is limited information regarding these diseases in horses. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of and in the serum of racehorses in Iran (Golestan province). 350 blood samples were collected from racehorses in four regions of Golestan province, and demographic data (sex, age, and sampling location) were recorded. The collected serum samples were examined by PCR to identify the genomes of and . The results showed that 3.4 % (P < 0.05, 95 % CI: 1.97 % - 5.9 %) of...
Mota RA, Silito IS, Martins MP, Oliveira PRF, Melo RPB, Vieira da Silva V, Jorge FR, Martins TF, Labruna MB.Tick-borne diseases are among the most widespread vector-borne infections, including zoonoses caused by bacterial and protozoal microorganisms. This study consisted of a serosurvey for Rickettsia spp. in 270 horses from 11 farms in the coastal region of Pernambuco, Brazil. Through the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) based on antigens of five Rickettsia species, 164 (60.7%) horses were seroreactive to Rickettsia spp., with seroreactivity among farms ranging from 10 to 100%. Through molecular analysis, all 270 horse blood DNA samples tested negative by PCR assays targeting Anaplasmatacea...
Cabaret J.Resistance to anthelmintics in gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) is highly prevalent, as these parasites have been treated with anthelmintics for decades in ruminants and horses. Anthelmintics belong to different classes, each with a different mode of action. The most used are benzimidazoles and macrocyclic lactones and, to a lesser extent, levamisole and pyrantel in herbivores, as estimated from the literature. Combining these classes should be effective in controlling GIN. However, several farmers' practices tend to promote GIN resistance. Therefore, it is unclear whether the use of anthelmi...
In Italy, West Nile virus (WNV) has been consistently causing disease in humans, horses, and birds since 2008; it was initially confined to the northeast of the country and then spread gradually to the western and southern regions. WNV lineage 1 (WNV-L1) virus was the only lineage that circulated in Italy until 2011, but it was progressively replaced by WNV lineage 2 (WNV-L2). WNV disease in humans was not observed in Sicily, southern Italy, until 2016, when the first case of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) due to WNV-L1 was reported. Our results demonstrate the introduction of WNV-L2 i...
Joó K, Csanádi L, Povázsai Á, Nielsen MK.Horses remain globally at constant risk of strongylid infections, with cyathostomins being particularly prevalent and abundant. It is essential to routinely monitor the efficacy of anthelmintics against equine nematodes. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ivermectin against equine strongyles and estimate the strongyle egg reappearance period (ERP) following ivermectin treatment for the first time in Hungary. Fecal samples were collected from 57 Thoroughbred mares before treatment and at 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 weeks post-treatment at a Hungarian National Stud Farm. Fecal egg counts (FECs)...
Dlugopolska D, Siwinska N, Noszczyk-Nowak A.Asthma is a multifactorial respiratory disease that naturally occurs in horses, humans, and cats, presenting common clinical signs and species-specific mechanisms. This review addresses the impact of asthma on the cardiovascular and neurological systems, with a primary focus on horses. It highlights the need for new biomarkers beyond the respiratory system due to diagnostic difficulties in animals. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar, focusing on cardiovascular and neurological manifestations of asthma in humans, horses, cats, and experimental animal...
Domańska D, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O, Trela M, Pawłowski K, Pawliński B, Domino M.Mastitis is an emerging health concern in lactating mares, particularly given the growing commercial interest in mare's milk. This study evaluated the diagnostic potential of acute phase proteins (APPs), specifically serum amyloid A (SAA), milk amyloid A (MAA), and haptoglobin (Hp), measured in blood and milk as indicators of clinical and subclinical mastitis. Twenty-four Thoroughbred mares were prospectively monitored during lactation and weaning. Plasma and milk samples were collected and analyzed using commercial ELISA kits. Plasma SAA concentrations were significantly higher in mares with ...
Ding W, Gong W, Bou T, Shi L, Lin Y, Shi X, Li Z, Wu H, Dugarjaviin M, Bai D.Speed is not only the primary objective of racehorse breeding but also a crucial indicator for evaluating racehorse performance. This study investigates a newly developed racehorse breed in China. Through whole-genome resequencing, we selected 60 offspring obtained from the crossbreeding of Thoroughbred horses and Xilingol horses for this study. This breed is tentatively named "Grassland-Thoroughbred", and the samples were divided into two groups based on racing ability: 30 racehorses and 30 non-racehorses. Based on whole-genome sequencing data, the study achieved an average sequencing depth o...
Nakajima K, Kasuya K, Senba H, Tagami K, Kinoshita Y, Niwa H.Strangles is a globally widespread, commonly diagnosed and important infectious disease of equids caused by Streptococcus equi subsp. equi. We performed whole genome sequencing of 19 S. equi isolates collected from imported horses at the Japanese border. Of these isolates, 15 isolates were obtained from clinical cases and 4 were from subclinical cases. The 19 isolates were grouped into 3 Bayesian analysis of population structure (BAPS) groups by the core genome single nucleotide polymorphism analysis corresponding to exporting country, SeM typing, or exporter of the horses. The 19 isolates pos...
Huang Z, Ma Q, Zhang C, Cheng R, Hou F, Wu Y, Luo F, Li Y.Post-mortem fetal extrusion, also known as "coffin birth", refers to the phenomenon where a fetus is pushed out of a deceased female due to pressure from decomposing gas in the abdominal cavity. While post-mortem fetal extrusion has been documented in humans at several archaeological sites, there are few reports of it occurring in non-human animals. In this study, we present a case of post-mortem fetal extrusion in equids observed in a chariot-horse pit (CMK2) at the Western Zhou period site of Yaoheyuan in northwestern China, dating to the early first millennium BC. This specific pit, one of ...
Taylor WTT, Delsol N, Oelze VM, Mitchell P, Stricker L, Lavin M, Ogundiran A, Hosek L, Barrón-Ortiz CI, Ojediran O, Quintero-Bisono D....Domestic equids were central to the initial colonization of the Atlantic coast of the Americas, a process partially chronicled by historical records. While Spanish colonists brought horses to the Caribbean decades earlier, settlement of the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, was among the first dispersals of horses to the eastern seaboard. Archaeozoological analysis of identifiable domestic equid remains from two contexts associated with the initial occupation of Jamestown demonstrates intense processing and consumption of the first Jamestown horses during the "Starving Time" winter of 160...
Hinckley-Boltax AL, Malone E, Uustalu UK, FitzMaurice M.The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges competency-based veterinary education (CBVE) framework can be used to guide curriculum and assessment design and is intended to prepare veterinary graduates for Day One of clinical practice. However, while the framework defines curricular outcomes in terms of demonstrable competencies, it does not define the specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to achieve those outcomes. In some human medical curricula, prioritized lists of clinical presentations guide curricular content, design, and assessment. These lists are based, in par...
Mau A, Keller SM, Kol A.Basophils are the rarest blood leukocyte in most healthy domestic mammals and the clinical significance of basophilia is poorly understood. Objective: To empirically determine magnitude thresholds for basophilia, identify its hematologic correlates, and identify associations between breeds, specific diseases, disease categories, organ systems, and basophilia in dogs, cats, and horses. Methods: CBCs and clinical information from dogs, cats, and horses were collected from the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine between 2000 and 2020. Relationships between basophil concen...
Wu Y, Li L, Bai W, Li T, Qian X, Liu Y, Wang S, Liu C, Wan F, Zhang D, Liu Y, Wu K, Ling Y, Zhou H, Meng F, Zhang Y, Cao J.Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is an important pathogen of the MicroRNA virus family. Infection of livestock can cause physical weakness, weight loss, reduced milk production, and a significant reduction in productivity for an extended period. It also causes a high mortality rate in young animals, seriously affecting livestock production. The host range of FMDV is mainly limited to cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle and sheep, while odd-toed ungulates such as horses and donkeys have natural resistance to FMDV. The mechanism underlying this resistance in odd-toed ungulates remains unclea...
Maier J, Rosenstand MG, Thim P, Aalund M.Introduction Imaging experience made us suspect an overrepresentation of ponytails in riders admitted as polytrauma after falling from their horse. Methods In a single-centre case-control study conducted over three months, we reviewed the records of all admitted polytraumatised patients for trauma mechanism and presence of ponytail on CT. Cerebral CTs were reviewed in the three standard imaging planes using a bone or lung window. Ponytail was diagnosed if most or all of the hair on the head was gathered and secured at the back of the head with a hair tie. Data were analysed with Fisher's exact...
